Camellia Forest

[Narration]
The Camellia Forest at the temple has always been a famous place in the country, and that’s why many poets wrote about it.

In Asia, camellia represents “the devotion of lovers”. It blooms in the spring, and when it falls, the whole bud falls and not just the leaves like most of other flowers. Poets related the bud falling to pure love, and that’s why they wrote about the flower.

You’ll find about three thousand camellia trees right behind Seonunsa Temple. The monks at the temple have been growing camellia trees for hundreds of years to protect the temple against mountain fire, and use it as a lamp oil substitute. Camellia trees that are over five hundred years old are dark blue in color, and they have a sacred air about them. Camellia flowers at the temple bloom in March, which is much later than those in other regions. So March is the perfect month to visit the temple if you want to see the spring flowers.